Jack Lesberg

Jack Lesberg (February 14, 1920 – September 17, 2005) was an American jazz double-bassist.

Lesberg performed with many famous jazz musicians, including Louis Armstrong, Earl Hines, Jack Teagarden, Sarah Vaughan and Benny Goodman, with whom he went on several international tours. He also performed in the New York City Symphony under Leonard Bernstein in the 1940s.

A native of Boston, Massachusetts, United States, Lesberg had the misfortune of playing in that city's Cocoanut Grove on the night in 1942 when 492 people lost their lives in a fire. His escape was memorialized by fellow bassist Charles Mingus in an unpublished section of Mingus's autobiography Beneath the Underdog; this passage was read by rapper Chuck D. on the Mingus tribute album, Weird Nightmare.

Lesberg continued to tour in the 1980s and was interviewed for KCEA radio in 1984, following a performance in Menlo Park, California. During the taped interview he spoke of the many bands and performers he worked with and expressed his feelings that he felt blessed to be a musician.

He died of Alzheimer's in Englewood at the age of 85.

Birth and Death Data: Born February 14, 1920 (Boston), Died September 17, 2005 (Englewood)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1942 - 1962

Roles Represented in DAHR: string bass, guitar

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 92 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-073671 10-in. 4/1/1942 Pennsylvania polka André Musette Orchestra Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor E0FB-3282 10-in. 2/23/1950 Chug-a-lug Continental Capers ; Merrie Musette Orchestra Instrumental ensemble, with vocal ensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor E0VB-3283 10-in. 2/23/1950 The Chalet in the valley Continental Capers ; Merrie Musette Orchestra Instrumental ensemble, with vocal ensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor E1VB-2966 10-in. 8/10/1951 I remember when Eddie Fisher Male vocal solo, with orchestra and vocal sensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D5VB-0620 10-in. 9/20/1945 Homesick-that's all Russ Case ; Murphy Sisters Female vocal group, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D5VB-0621 10-in. 9/20/1945 Will the angels play their harps for me? (A beggar's lament) Russ Case ; Murphy Sisters Female vocal group, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D7VB-2659 10-in. 12/11/1947 April in Paris Coleman Hawkins Orchestra Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D7VB-2660 10-in. 12/11/1947 How strange Coleman Hawkins Orchestra Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor D7VB-2661 10-in. 12/11/1947 Half step down, please Coleman Hawkins Orchestra Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 72933 10-in. 6/14/1945 Lady be good-1 Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 72934 10-in. 6/14/1945 Swanee-2 Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 73480 3/27/1946 Farewell blues Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 73481 3/27/1946 Improvisation for march of time Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 73482 3/27/1946 She's funny that way-1 Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 73483 3/27/1946 Stars fell on Alabama Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 73646 7/17/1946 Some sunny day Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 73647 7/17/1946 Just you, just me-1 Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 73648 7/17/1946 Atlanta blues -1 Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 73649 7/17/1946 The way you look tonight Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 74023 8/5/1947 My melancholy baby Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 74024 8/5/1947 Tulip time in Holland Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 74025 8/5/1947 Nobody knows Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 74026 8/5/1947 We called it music Eddie Condon Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 75227 9/6/1949 That lucky old sun Louis Armstrong ; Gordon Jenkins and his Chorus and Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 75228 9/6/1949 Blueberry hill-1 Louis Armstrong ; Gordon Jenkins and his Chorus and Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
(Results 1-25 of 92 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Lesberg, Jack," accessed April 23, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/205783.

Lesberg, Jack. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 23, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/205783.

"Lesberg, Jack." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 23 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/205783

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